Podcaster Profiles: Melissa Thom of BRAVA & High Notes Podcast

Today, the indie podcaster we are profiling is BRAVA CEO and creator/host of High Notes, Melissa Thom. Most of us know what voiceover work is, but little about how the industry works, and how one gets into the voiceover industry. 

This profile begins with Melissa explaining the winding road she took to her role in the voiceover industry. 

 "It was almost by accident. In 1998, I moved to Brighton, UK and met someone who had recently launched a music radio station. He offered me a marketing assistant role, and before long, I was a station voice and recording commercial ads. It was an incredible first job with an inspiring team - many of whom I’m still in contact with today. That experience led me to another station, part of a much larger commercial radio group, as breakfast show host for three years. In 2007, I co-founded a podcasting startup with my husband and in 2014, shifted into communications for another of our startups, which took us to California for two years. Whilst there, I decided to commit full-time to working with voice and haven't looked back."

Fast forward to present day, and High Notes is a podcast featuring conversations on the art and business of voice, hosted by our profiled podcaster, voice actor and BRAVA CEO, Melissa Thom. From Mongolian throat singing to vocal health, accents, gaming, and more, High Notes uncovers the craft behind the business.

The podcast began in December 2023 with its superb four-minute trailer.  Episode lengths run from 25 to 45 minutes, with most shows falling within the 35-minute sweet spot.  Melissa Thom is a superb podcast host and interviewer. I could just listen to her voice all day, like easy-listening music that relaxes me. 

Melissa Thom has a challenging job. Convincing and reminding non-voiceover people that it is an exceedingly difficult job that takes training and commitment. Voiceover work is like sports broadcasting. Everybody believes they can excel at it when, in reality, it requires innate talent, extensive training, and a commitment to improvement. 

Some of my favorite episodes include the July 5, 2024, show with Curtis James, a U.K. podcaster who discusses authentic storytelling and, most importantly, about the challenges of working-class representation in creative fields, the profound influence of teachers, public speaking anxiety, and the nuances of voice and accent in public perception. 

The June 30th episode about how voice actors are cast for Pixar films was my personal highlight reel. In this episode of High Notes, Melissa chats with Kate Hansen Birnbaum, Casting Director at Pixar, whose credits include beloved animated films such as Inside Out, Soul, Elemental, and Luca.  She offers a rare look inside Pixar’s intricate casting process, highlighting the value placed on authenticity, natural vocal tone, and the ability to truly inspire the animation team. 

The conversation touches on Pixar’s commitment to diverse and inclusive casting, including their practice of anonymized auditions to help reduce unconscious bias. Kate also brings the episode to life with memorable stories from her career, particularly the joy of working on Elemental — and shares thoughtful advice for aspiring voice actors.

We asked Melisa about her background, and she told us: "I grew up in Totnes - a small, creative, market town in the South West of the UK, known back then in the 80s for its art, music and alternative culture. My family background is diverse - my mother is from Mauritius and my father was from Liverpool - so food, books and music were a big part of my upbringing. I wasn’t really a child who “did voices”, but I was always using my voice - confident, talkative, and an absolute yearning to connect with the wider world. From my teens through early adulthood, I traveled widely, met people from all walks of life, and used my voice to build friendships and opportunities. My first professional step using my voice was in commercial radio. From there I built a 30 year career spanning broadcasting, advertising, marketing, startups, and eventually, full-time voice acting from 2016. In 2021, I founded BRAVA to support creative professionals in voice, speech, and communication."

Bristol (England) Academy of Voice Acting (BRAVA) offers personalized training in the art and business of voiceover. BRAVA says: "If you’re a complete beginner and have always been interested in finding out more about the world of voice acting, or if you’ve been voicing for a while, but need guidance and support, then BRAVA is for you."

Joining Melissa is a highly experienced team of actors, educators, and producers from the UK and the U.S. 

When we asked Melissa why she started BRAVA, she answered: "BRAVA grew out of the 2020 pandemic. When many of my drama school colleagues lost stage work overnight, I began training them in voiceover so they could continue working from home. Word spread quickly, and by 2021 BRAVA was officially launched. Since then, we’ve trained more than 1,000 creative professionals in voice, speech, and communication. It’s been both a challenge and a privilege, and something we never take for granted."

Since then, Melissa has done voiceover work for numerous high-profile clients -- EA, Warner, Google. We asked her how does she prepare for these high-profile gigs?
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Melissa explains: "Preparation is everything. I take time to really understand the brief, research the brand, and connect with the client’s vision. Then it’s about bringing the craft - delivering performances that lift words off the page and transform them into compelling storytelling, whether it’s a commercial, a brand film, or a video game."

Melissa gave us more detail on the voiceover industry.
"The voiceover world is far from dominated by a few big players. While major agencies exist, independent talent, boutique studios, and small businesses drive most of the work, spanning advertising, audiobooks, gaming, and e-learning. Technology has made it easier than ever for smaller players to market themselves globally and innovate in niche storytelling. The global market hit $2.89B in 2023 and is projected to reach $4.56B by 2032, while the UK market stands at $854M, nearly doubling by 2030."

Our research shows that the demand for voiceover talent is fueled by the expansion of audiobooks, podcasts, and online content While AI is becoming more prevalent, particularly for certain types of projects, human voice actors still hold a strong position, especially for nuanced and creative roles The industry can be competitive, with a relatively small percentage of voice actors capturing the majority of work. 

This is difficult work. I listen to audiobooks and, with a few exceptions, when authors read their own book, I know I'm in for a rough audio ride. 

Melissa continues: "With a diverse, fragmented market and growing demand across media, skilled actors and small studios can carve their own space and reach new audiences. Voiceover professionals must evolve, adopting new tools, technologies, and ways of working to seize these opportunities. The future belongs to actors who invest in their skillset in order to master their craft and turn new tools (AI included) into opportunity."

Since Melissa brought up AI, we had to ask how has the industry been affected by AI.

Melissa notes: "AI has reshaped the voiceover landscape at extraordinary speed and it’s here to stay. It has driven an irreversible shift: fast, cost-effective, and adequate for functional jobs, but limited when it comes to depth, nuance, and genuine human connection. The risks are clear: fewer entry-level opportunities, ethical concerns, and the rise of synthetic competition. Yet there is also opportunity in defining the line between what AI can produce and what only a trained actor can deliver: authenticity, creativity, and emotional resonance. The future will be hybrid, with AI handling routine work, and human voices bringing the storytelling that truly connects."

We asked Melissa what she thought people know about the craft of voiceover.

She didn't hesitate and answered: "That it’s far deeper than many expect. Training isn’t a quick fix - it requires time, patience, and dedication. The payoff, though, is immense. Not only do you develop the skills to work in VO, but you also strengthen your own communication, confidence, and presence."

Our next logical follow-up question was: What specific skills does a voiceover artist need?

Melissa responds: "A skilled VO artist brings versatility, adaptability, and professionalism. On the performance side, that means cold reading, script analysis, speed reading, understanding brand values, and interpreting subtext or character backstory. On the business side, it’s just as critical - contract negotiation, handling difficult conversations, financial management, and building client relationships are all part of the job."

We moved on to Melissa's podcast, High Notes, and we asked why did she create High Notes? 

Melissa explains: "High Notes came from a desire to have meaningful conversations with people I admire in the voice industry and to share that wisdom with both talent and the wider public. The podcast is very much a passion project - I learn something new in every interview. I’m fortunate to have a production team that truly understands my vision and brand values, which makes the whole process a joy."

 Melissa then decribed what she foresees for High Notes in the future.

"We’ve just wrapped episode two, which focused on Gaming and Animation, featuring conversations with Pixar, Aardman, and leading coaches in the US and UK. In September 2025, we’ll launch episode three: Voice for Business. This season will feature political speechwriters, media executives, business school professors, journalists, and fashion and PR experts - an exciting new perspective on voice and communication in professional life."

Indie podcasters have multiple challenges within the industry. They perform so many roles, from CEO to cleanup crew. Therefore, they have a stronger sense of the podcasting industry than some network podcasters, who often show up to record an episode and then leave right after that. 

When we asked about trends in podcasting that brighten your day, Melissa enthusuastically responded: "I'm noticing high production value and experimentation, as more shows are embracing creative sound design, narrative formats, and interactive elements. I've always been a supporter of niche community podcasts, which serve specific, passionate audiences, whether that’s history, language, or Voiceover."

Melissa added that, "I believe that subscription models and platforms like Patreon empower creators to build sustainable businesses beyond traditional ads."

Melissa's concerns about podcasting include: "Over-commercialization, which included ads that feel intrusive or sponsorships that undermine authenticity. I'm suspicious of algorithm-driven sameness. You know, recommendation systems narrowing the range of voices and perspectives."

Melissa warns about the malevolent power of misinformation. 
"There are too many unchecked falsehoods spreading through long-form formats. 

Finally, Melissa warns that "burnout culture" is placing too much  pressure on creators to constantly publish, often at the cost of quality or sustainability.

Podcasting is fortunate to attract a talent such as Melissa Thom through High Notes. Her show about voiceover acting on an audio podcast is the perfect fit. High Notes glorifies the magic of audio, explains the technical aspect of voiceover work, and celebrates audio done with style and grace.

 High Notes also offers listeners the mellifluous voice of its creator and host, Melissa Thom.

We are as a race sight-centric. Our sight dominates our sensory inputs. However, when listening to the voices that Melissa Thom can affect, it's evident that what we hear -- and how we hear it -- is often just as critical to our reality as what we see. 

As writer Maya Angelou once said, "Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning."

A woman of immense talent like Melissa Thom can create worlds, universes, and ecosystems through the magic she creates via her voices.